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Neptune Beach apartment condemned following collapse

The building inspector in Neptune Beach has condemned the building where a balcony collapsed July 4th, sending several people to the hospital.

The building on 1st Street is a rental property owned by Ernest Russell Jr. 

Police Chief David Sembach tells WOKV News the building inspector has given the renters 48 hours to vacate.  It's unclear how many people live in the building.

Sembach says the building inspector deemed it unsafe after an inspection Friday.

"He saw what he determined to be improper wood, improperly attached wood, rotten wood.  And he went an inspected the balconies that were still standing and found the same problems with them".

We are told the building inspector is now investigating other rental properties owned by Ernest Russell Jr.

"I looked over to the left and one of my really good friends happened to fall. And I was like oh my gosh, Ashley are you, OK?" says a beachgoer who was on the balcony when it crashed.

Matt Walker was at the party and told Action News, "You don't expect to see that. A house on the 4th of July is supposed to be all fun and games and this happens," said Walker.

Tyler Bice, who rents the house told Action News, "You could see the same old wood. Rotten."

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